


All Because of a Piney Bough

by Petri808



Series: Inuyasha Short Stories & One Shots [27]
Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale
Genre: Christmas, F/M, Fluffy, Holiday, Idiots in Love, Love, Love Confessions, Mistletoe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-21
Updated: 2018-12-21
Packaged: 2019-09-24 01:51:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,353
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17091857
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Petri808/pseuds/Petri808
Summary: Written for a Secret Santa 2018.  Mrs. Higurashi enjoys when Kagome and her friends gather at the home, bringing a lively atmosphere she misses once they all grow up and head off to college.  Well its Christmas time and the matriarch brings them together for a party and needless to say, a little mistletoe sure caused a bit of a... holiday wish come true.





	All Because of a Piney Bough

**Author's Note:**

> KFC & Wagashi info https://favy-jp.com/topics/1421  
> Hanami Dango info https://www.justonecookbook.com/hanami-dango/  
> Christmas in Japan simple info https://www.whychristmas.com/cultures/japan.shtml

With Kagome in her first year at Yokohama N.U., as far as mama Higurashi was concerned, the winter break was one time of year she was required to be home for visits aside from summer.  Mrs. Higurashi sometimes missed the days when her daughter and friends would hang out on weekends keeping the shrine home so nice and lively.  But now, they had scattered like the four winds… well sort of, for Miroku had followed his girlfriend Sango to Tsukuba University, and Inuyasha followed his best friend to Yokohama.

Inuyasha… once or maybe still was Miroku’s best friend, yet now her daughters…  Actually, mama Higurashi had given up on trying to understand the dynamics between those two.  She was pretty sure they were both in love with each other since meeting 5 years ago and while they were almost attached at the hip, dated other people through high school.  It made, no sense.  Either way, she adored the Hanyo because as long as he was around, she never had to worry about her daughter’s safety.

Mrs. Higurashi figured that the kids would have plans on the holidays themselves, so two days before Christmas found the shrine home buzzing with life again.  Kagome had come home from college the prior week with Inuyasha in tow.  Sango and Miroku were back from Tsukuba, and Kohaku, Sango’s younger brother had also been able to make it to the party.  _It was like old times_ , Mrs. Higurashi sighed as she finished the last touches on her Christmas Wagashi’s.   

“Here’s the K.F.C.,” Inuyasha places the two large buckets of fried chicken on the counter, “you sure this is enough for all of us?”

She wipes her hands on a towel and checks the boxes.  “Thank you dear, but I have other things already made as well,” she smiles at the young man.

“Mmm, I can’t wait!” he rubs his stomach, “you always make the best foods!”

Mrs. Higurashi just chuckles and shoos him out of the kitchen before he tries to sneak anything. “Could you let everyone know dinner will be ready in 30 minutes?”

“Sure…”

 

Two hours later now fed and satiated, most of the group relaxes in the living room, centered around watching the two teenagers play some kind of video game on the screen.  The adults chat while sipping tea or coffee, with Sango and Miroku talking about their first semester in a new city. Kagome had just finished washing the dishes for her mom and now stands in the entryway between the two rooms. It was really nice to see everyone gathered together like this, she smiled to herself.  The internet makes staying in touch so much easier, but it still doesn’t make up for the personal contact. 

After taking out the trash, Inuyasha joins her.  Keeping his voice low, “so who’s winning?”

“I think Kohaku… but I could be wrong.”

Knowing the woman didn’t know much about fighter type games, he chuckles.  “You have fun shopping earlier today with Sango?”

“Mmhmm,” feeling a bit tired she leans on his shoulder and yawns, “it was fun, we even stopped at our old ice cream shop haunt…”

Across the room, Sota and Kohaku high-five after another good round against some online competitors on the Playstation, laughing along with Miroku who’s asking to jump in next round. The two boys turn to respond to the older man but stop suddenly and begin whispering furiously between each other. 

“What, don’t wanna let me play too cause you think I’ll whip your butts?”

“Nah, that ain’t it,” Kohaku leans closer, so he can whisper, “look behind you.”

“Huh?” Miroku turns his head and immediately grins and nods, leaning over to Sango to pass on the message. 

The next thing they knew, the room had gone silent and 6 heads had turned to stare at Kagome and Inuyasha, grins on every single one of their faces.  “What?” the Hanyo growls, “why is everyone looking at us?”

Kagome who is just as intrigued chimes in too.  “W-why is everyone smiling like that?”

It’s her mom who finally speaks up while the 3 younger males snickers.  “Mistletoe ball.”

“Mistletoe?” the young girl repeats what her mother had said.  So, Mrs. Higurashi points above their heads.  Both Kagome and Inuyasha look at the same time, their faces growing paler by the millisecond.  “M-Mistle…”

“…toe…” Inu finishes.

“KISS!  KISS!  KISS!” chants begin to fill the room, starting from Sota and Kohaku but quickly joined by Miroku, Sango, even Mrs. Higurashi can’t hold back her amusement.

“W-Wha…. N-No but he-he’s…. we’re not…” poor Kagome’s face is turning crimson and Inuyasha’s is heating up as well.  “Oh, my Kami!” she hides her face while the chants of ‘KISS’ rage on.  It was so not funny to be called out like that!

“Just Kiss her Inuyasha!” Miroku goads the Hanyo, “you know you’ve been dying to!”

“N-No I don’t!” shaking a fist, “this was trap wasn’t it!  Who did it!”

“No one, it was just part of the decorations,” Sango giggled.  “Aww, Kagome, kissing Inuyasha wouldn’t be so bad would it?”

But the young girl refuses to respond only shaking her head as her anxiety reaches a peak.  “Stop pestering her, can’t you see…” Inuyasha’s growls die off for Kagome had taken off out the kitchen door.  They hear it slam behind her.  “See!” he curses the whole room.

“Oh, dear, maybe be we pushed her too far,” Mrs. Higurashi covers her mouth as she rises from the couch, “I better go…”

“I’ll go check on her,” Inuyasha mumbles, swiping the mistletoe down before stalking out of the house.

As soon as Inuyasha has left, Sango slaps her boyfriend, “it was you, wasn’t it?”

“Oww!” he rubs his shoulder, “yes!  But it was meant to catch you at some point!” 

Kagome flees to the Well House and sits along the worn-out wooden edging with her head hung.  It wasn’t that she was sad or even angry, but this definitely wasn’t how she’d envisioned her visit turning out.  She didn’t know what embarrassed her more, the idea of simply kissing her best friend because of some western-fangled tradition…. Or the thought of kissing the man she’d been pining over for years in front of family and friends who suspected those feelings.  Her mother was always asking in subtle ways, _how were things with Inuyasha, oh, still just friends, okay that’s wonderful dear, he’s a great guy to have around…._

 _Ugh!_   She felt crappy enough without having to be reminded so often that _no_ , they were still just friends.  _I mean didn’t they hear him say he didn’t want to kiss me!_   Moisture clouds over her eyes and she squeeze’s them shut.  _I wish they’d just drop it already!  Tomorrow is a day for couples and this year I get to celebrate it alone…_   Kagome let’s out a shaky exhale as memories of previous Eve’s with her ex, walking around to look at the light shows, how she’d often dreamt it had been Inuyasha instead holding her hand….       

She hears a noise and the door opening, turning her head to hide further, Kagome assumed her mother had come to console her and covers her face.

“Kagome?” 

But when she hears a softened male voice instead of that of her mother, she flinches; _what was he doing here!_  

“Kagome, a-are you gonna be okay?”  Inuyasha hops up onto the wells edging beside her in a crouched position and places a hand on her shoulder.  Kagome flinches out of his touch and stands up, placing a foot or so of space between them with her back to him.  “Oi, what are ya mad at me for!  I wasn’t the one who was doin the taunting!”

“I’m not mad at you, just wanna be alone right now.”

Inuyasha could hear the held back tears in her voice, smell the salt in the air.  He cringes, ears flattening at the pain it shot through his heart but in his head, it wasn’t fair that she was pushing him away over something he had no control over.  “Sure feels like you’re mad at me for somethin…”

“I’m really not mad okay, maybe confused sometimes, sad but not mad,” Kagome tilts her head up willing back the tears that furiously wish to break free, “you just…. I don’t know…” she lets out a long exhale, “…I just don’t know how to think of you anymore.”

Now Inuyasha was completely confused, what did she mean by how she thinks of him?  “What, you don’t wanna be my friend anymore is that it? If you don’t like me anymore all ya had to do was say something.”

“I like you too much is the problem…” her voice is so soft Inuyasha barely catches all the words, but then frankly he thought he might have heard her wrong anyways.  Kagome tilts her head in his direction this time, a weak smile gracing her features, “and just being your friend is getting to be too difficult to bear.”

Oh, bloody hell, so that’s what she was all upset over!  This chick has never given him one damn clue that she might have feelings for him, even dated his friggen rival for 2 years which is why he went out with hers hoping to stir up jealousy with no results, and now she wants to just break things off before there was anything between them?  Like hell he was gonna let that happen! 

“Kagome,” his eyes flash and narrow as he motions with a claw, “get over here.”  The gruff nature of his voice startles her at first, but she could tell it wasn’t in anger, more like she was about to get scolded.  She shakes her head.  Inuyasha jumps down from his perch quicker than she can turn to run and grabs her around the waist from behind.  “Stupid wench,” his lips are so close to her ear, she can feel the vibrations of his words and the heated air wafting against her skin.  “I have waited almost 4 damn years for you figure out what you wanted.  I stood back while you dated that wolf.  I followed you to Yokohama, do you really think I’ll let you walk away from me now?”

Kagome clenches her fists at her sides.  Was he for real?  They’d been like two idiots waiting for the other to make the first move!  “This whole time,” she breathes out, “are you seriously telling me you never asked me out because _I_   never made up my mind?”  She turns around to face him and immediately begins to bang her fists on his chest. “Are you serious!  Inuyasha, I’ve been the one waiting for you to make a goddam move on me, but you’ve never ever EVER acted like you had feelings for me beyond friendship!  Just now you shouted to everyone how you didn’t want to kiss me….  So how the hell was I supposed to figure it out!” 

 _Wow!_   His eyes widen at the fury Kagome was trying to unleash on him.  He’s seen her mad before, but frankly this was amusing and endearing at the same time and it was taking all of his willpower not to laugh aloud and set her off even more.  He loved her pure heart, but he was even more in love with her feisty side. 

Inuyasha finally grabs her wrists to still them.  With a slight bemusement in his tone, “I didn’t want to kiss you in there because I didn’t want to take something if you weren’t ready to give it back.”  Kagome stops fighting and just stares into his honeyed hues confused.  _Well that shut her up quick!_   He drops her hands and scoops her cheeks into his hands, “Of course I want to kiss you…. I wanna kiss you all day, every day!”

Her eyes grow misty, “Inu…. I’m sorry I…” 

“Enough talking,” he cuts her off and crashes their lips together….  A rumble of contented abandon flows from his chest, _oh Kamisama how he’s wanted to do this for so long!_  To nibble at her luscious ruby lips, to taste her as their tongues explore the heated antechamber…. Kagome was the sweetest _hanami dango_   and smelled as good the blossoms they celebrated.  He leans his forehead to hers after one more chaste kiss, “so…  can I call you my girlfriend now?”

“I…Mph!”

“Shh,” Inuyasha cups a hand over her mouth, his ear flicking in the direction of the house.  Without warning he scoops her into his arms and drops down into the bottom of the well, “don’t say anything yet.”  As his ears scan above, Kagome just looks up wondering what had spooked him.

The pair hears the door open.  “Kagome? Inuyasha?  Are you guys in there?”  A pause in Mrs. Higurashi’s voice, then the door closes again. “Doesn’t seem like they’re in the well house or anywhere on the property.  I hope Kagome’s okay.”

“I’m sure she is,” now they hear Miroku’s voice trying to reassure the woman, “you know Inuyasha, if she left, he could track her down.”

“Yeah, you’re probably right.  I guess they’ll come back when they’re ready.” 

Kagome and Inuyasha hear a shuffling of feet back towards the main house.  She turns to Inuyasha confused, “why didn’t we just tell them we were okay?”

“Because I wasn’t ready to go back to the house yet,” his voice is heady and low, “so what’s your answer wench?” 

“Answer?  Oh!” she giggles, “how about… I’ll think about it.”

“Oi!  Think about it!”  Inuyasha runs his claws along her ticklish sides, and with a growl to his tone, “I’ll give you two seconds to say yes,” then traces them along the waist band of her skirt, “1….”

“Okay, Okay!” she spits out, shuddering as his hands have curved behind and nails trail along her spine. “Of course, I’ll be your girlfriend!”

“Let’s start over then,” he pulls the slightly crunched up mistletoe from his pocket and holds it above her head.

Kagome giggles as she stands on her tippy-toes to kiss him, “Merry Christmas to us…”


End file.
